https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/30806513/manny-pacquiao-designated-champion-recess-wba Pacquiao was designated by the WBA as a "champion in recess," the sanctioning body said in a statement on Friday night. With the vacancy, Yordenis Ugas has been promoted to become the WBA's top titleholder in the welterweight division. The WBA's guidelines state that the recess can be invoked "when a champion is unable to defend the belt for medical, legal or other reasons beyond his control." No specific reasons were given for the change in the WBA's statement. This is curious. Now the question becomes what medical, legal or other reasons beyond his control have made Pacquiao unable to defend his belt?
Aka "Mr. Pacman we really love having your name tied to our belt/org but we really need the belt out in play so we can charge sanctioning fees...."
I'm not sure, but it could be a thing called COVID. And the fact that he's a high ranking government official that already had very small windows of opportunity to train and fight. Pacquiao definitely wants to make money for COVID relief and his inevitable presidential run.
